Assembly Speaker supports police lathicharge on AGP workers

Guwahati: Assam Assembly Speaker Pranab Kumar Gogoi on Tuesday supported police lathicharge on opposition Asom Gana Parishad members saying no one can be a mute spectator if there is a threat to law and order.

"If I was a Home Minister and the police had fired on the protesters, I would have protected them (police). Nobody can take law and order in their hands," Gogoi said from the Chair.

He was responding to a united opposition's demand of an enquiry into the incident in which at least eight AGP workers including women, were injured in police lathicharge near the Assembly complex yesterday in a protest against the government allegedly allowing illegal Bangladeshis to settle in Assam.

"Yesterday (Monday), the entire incident was live. If some protesters tried to break the barricade, then will the police be a silent spectator?" Gogoi asked the opposition, who created a noisy scene in the house on the issue.

"It was a democratic peaceful protest. Police even lathicharged women without presence of female police. This entire incident should be enquired," he added.

Conceding the opposition's demand, Environment and Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain announced an enquiry into the incident.

Hussain responded on behalf of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, who also holds the Home Portfolio.

On Monday, AGP president Atul Bora had said that eight of his party people were injured in the lathicharge and sent to hospital for medical treatment with head injuries.

Police, in return, claimed they resorted to lathicharge after the demonstrators forcibly tried to break the barricade at Last Gate area of the city and move towards the Assembly nearby on the opening day of the Budget Session.